Kiaâs first electric car launched in Malta

Kias first electric car launched in Malta

Cars International, represent-atives of Kia in Malta, have launched the first electric car Soul manufactured by the Korean brand, which continues to break into new grounds and increase its market share in the car industry.

A landmark in Kias history, the zero-emissions Soul EV is Kias first electric vehicle to be marketed by the company outside Korea.

The Soul EV is a uniquely- designed battery electric vehicle perfectly suited for city commuters, thanks to its class-leading drive range, a spacious cabin and generous cargo area.

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said the government was pleased to see the private sector promoting such initiatives, as it understands the importance of culture change in Malta as we start to realise the negative impact that pollution has on our health.

General manager Ryan Buttigieg said: Combining the iconic design of the Kia Soul with advanced eco-friendly techno-logy has landed the Soul EV in a class of its own. It is equipped with a state-of-the-art battery providing top efficiency in range and regenerative energy. This becomes a winning combin-ation of individualistic style, user-friendly functionality and eco-friendly capability.

The Kia Soul EV comes with a battery energy density of 200 Wh/kg. Ensuring that it retains all the fun-to-drive character, rapid acceleration to 100 km/h is predicted to take 11.2 seconds, while top speed is in the region of 145 kph.

The battery pack is mounted beneath the cabin, ensuring a low centre of gravity and contributing to the cars accomplished ride, handling and refinement. Charging is accomplished by simply plugging the Soul EV into any standard household electricity supply.

Recharging times are up to five hours for a fully-depleted battery using a 6.6 kW AC slow charger. An 80 per cent charge can be achieved in as little as 25 minutes with a 100 kW charger, or 33 minutes using a 50 kW DC charger.

The car will retail at 29,900, showroom price, which includes the full government grant. As with every other Kia model, the Soul EV will guarantee owners the peace of mind provided by Kias unique seven-year warranty, including on the EV battery.

There are absolutely no additional leasing costs besides the selling price.